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Merrill Lynch is expecting 1.3% ad growth in the UK this year, a slowdown from last year’s 2.5% growth. Meanwhile, a recent forecast from ZenithOptimedia downgraded expectations for 2006 UK advertising growth by 2.0% points, and also downgraded its expectation for 2007 by 1.1% points (see ZenithOptimedia Downgrades UK Ad Growth Forecast). In the US,… Continue reading Merrill Lynch Lowers Global Ad Forecast

The high demand for Carphone Warehouse’s “free” broadband service has increased the losses it expects to make for the year to £70 million. The strong demand has added approximately £20 million in additional costs, although no impact is anticipated in March 2008 financial year. In its second quarter results, Carphone Warehouse said that total connections… Continue reading Increased Broadband Costs For Carphone Warehouse

Carphone Warehouse has announced that it is to acquire AOL UK for £370 million. Under the agreement, Carphone Warehouse will acquire AOL’s customer base in the UK as well as the supporting management and infrastructure, whilst AOL will provide co-branded portal, content and other audience services and will manage the online advertising sales for Carphone… Continue reading Carphone Warehouse To Acquire AOL UK

VNU, the parent company of Nielsen Media Research, has announced that it is proposing to acquire the 39.5% stake in NetRatings that it does not already own. Nielsen is currently increasing its efforts to integrate its TV ratings systems with NetRatings online audience estimates to make a product that would enable advertisers and agencies to… Continue reading VNU Could Acquire Rest Of NetRatings

Google has acquired YouTube, the video sharing website, for $1.65 billion (£884 million) in a stock-for-stock transaction. When the acquisition has been completed, YouTube will retain its brand identity and strengthen and complement Google’s own video business. In a statement, Google said that the number of Google shares to be issued in the transaction will… Continue reading Google Acquires YouTube For $1.65 Billion

Google is continuing negotiations to acquire video-sharing website YouTube, in a deal estimated to be worth $1.6 billion (£857 million). The deal is expected to be concluded by the end of the week, with industry figures saying that the acquisition could see Google’s AdWords, its online ad program, incorporated into the YouTube site. Meanwhile, according… Continue reading Google Continues Negotiations To Buy YouTube

Rumours that ITV chairman Sir Peter Burt will quit once Charles Allen’s replacement at the broadcaster has been found have escalated, sources have told the trade press. Sources have said that Burt is not enjoying the role and wants to leave as soon as possible, whilst the ITV board is said to be split over… Continue reading ITV Chairman Expected To Go

Mike Clasper, the former BAA chief executive, has pulled out of the race to take over from former ITV chief executive Charles Allen, and speculation has re-emerged that Sir James Crosby, the former chief executive of HBOS, has also withdrawn. According to a report in yesterday’s Sunday Times, investors in the broadcaster are increasingly concerned… Continue reading Another Candidate Pulls Out Of Race For ITV Top Job

Two thirds of US online gamers are female, according to Nielsen Interactive Entertainment’s newly released third annual Active Gamer Benchmark study. The research, which puts the total figure for active gamers (those who play for more than one hour per-week) in the US at 117 million, says that 56% of those play online and 64%… Continue reading Two Thirds Of US Online Gamers Are Female

Two of the biggest satellite radio companies have released subscriber figures for the third quarter, with differing fortunes for each. According to Sky Report, XM Satellite Radio added 285,000 subscribers in the last quarter, its lowest total in 10 consecutive quarters, ending the quarter with 7.2 million subscribers. XM has a target of 1.7 million… Continue reading Mixed Market For US Satellite Radio